From 17 October 2010 to 13 February 2011, the museum will present a special exhibition entitled The Palekh School: 1923-1950, which tells the success story of this fascinating Russian lacquer art in a way that is interesting and easy to understand. The exhibition will present the beginnings of Palekh miniature lacquer painting for the first time. The technique, which stems from traditional icon painting, will be illustrated through outstanding works. The establishment of atheist and Communist Soviet Union after the October Revolution eliminated the role of the Palekh icon painters, thus leading them to a new livelihood with lacquer painting on papier-mâché. The artists’ repertoire includes both scenes from peasant life and representations from Russian fairy tales and sagas, as well as historical events. From 1927 on, motifs featuring the achievements of Socialism predominate.